African Buffalo
Latin Name
: Syncerus caffer
Conservation Status: Conservation Dependent
Location: Africa
Color: Dark Brown
Length: 2.1 - 3.4 m (7 - 11 ft)
Tail: 75 - 110 cm (30 - 43 inches)
Weight: Up to 685 Kgs (1510 lbs)
Life Expectancy:
Up to 30
Yrs
Main Characteristics
The African Buffalo is a
stocky built member of the cow family. They have a body length
between 2.1 and 3.4 m (7 - 11 ft), a tail length between 75 and 110 cms
(30 - 43 inches), a shoulder height between 1.35 and 1.7 m (4.4 - 5.6 ft)
and they weigh up to 685 Kgs (1510 lbs).
They have a sparse covering of hair that is dark brown in color.
They have a large head, a thick neck, a broad chest and strong legs.
Their ears are large and droopy and they have large, low curved
horns. In males the horns are joined by a boss, which is a shield that
covers their entire forehead.
Habitat
African Buffalo inhabit the forests, woodlands and savannahs of
Africa. Females and their young, including males up to 2 - 3 years
old, live in herds of up to 1000 individuals. Herds are very
protective of their members and they are thought to "vote" on
which direction they should take. Males are mainly solitary or they
form bachelor groups consisting of 3 - 4 individuals.
Diet
The diet of an African Buffalo consists of grass and other
vegetation. They need to drink once per day so they are never to far
away from a water source.
Breeding
After a gestation period of 340 days 1 calf is born weighing
approximately 40 Kgs (88 lbs). The calf remains hidden in vegetation
for the first few weeks where it is nursed and looked after by its
mother. When it is ready to join the group it is held in the center of
the herd to keep it safe. The calf is weaned after 120 - 360 days.
When males reach 2 years of age they will leave their mother but
females stay with their mother until they have produced their own
off spring or sometimes longer. Males reach sexual maturity at 8
years of age and females 5 years of age.
Breeding can take place at any time of the year but generally births
tend to peak during the rainy season.
Predators
Humans are a predator of the African Buffalo but it has few
natural predators, the main ones being lions, leopards and spotted
hyenas. It takes several lions to bring down a fully grown African
Buffalo but leopards and spotted hyenas are only a threat to calves.
Subspecies
There are three distinct subspecies of African Buffalo and these
are:
Cape Buffalo
(Syncerus caffer caffer)
They inhabit savannahs and woodland.
Forest Buffalo
(Syncerus caffer nanus)
They are approximately half the size of Cape Buffalo and they are
found in forests near the equator.
West African Savanna Buffalo
(Syncerus caffer brachyceros)
They are also known as Sudanese Buffalo. They inhabit West Africa
and are relatively small.
Interesting Facts
African Buffalo are also known as:
Cape Buffalo
African Buffalo are regarded as being very dangerous animals and
several people are mauled and killed by them each year.
Cheetah
Latin Name
: Acinonyx jubatus
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Location: Africa & West Asia
Color:
Tan with Black Spots
Length: 1.1 - 1.5 m (3.5 - 5 ft)
Tail: 60 - 80 cms (23.5 - 32 inches)
Weight: 21 - 72 Kgs (46 - 160 lbs)
Life Expectancy:
12 - 14 Yrs
Main Characteristics
Cheetahs are tall, slender cats that are built for speed. They have a
body length between 1.1 and 1.5 m (3.5 - 5 ft), a tail length between 60
- 80 cms (23.5 - 32 inches) and they weigh between 21 and 72 Kgs (46 160 lbs).
They have long, muscular legs with blunt, semi-retractable claws
which enables them to have better traction while running. Their fur
is tan colored with small, round, solid black spots, and they have a
white stomach. On their tail the spots merge to form 4 - 6 dark rings
and at the end there is usually a bushy white tuft.
Their head is small and rounded and they have black "tear marks"
running from the corner of their eyes to the corner their mouth.
These tear marks help keep the sun light out of the Cheetahs eyes
to enable them to see better while hunting.
Male Cheetahs are slightly larger than females but it is difficult to
tell them apart by sight alone.
Some Cheetahs have a blotched appearance to their coat with
stripes and loops. These are known as King Cheetahs and until
recently they were thought to be a separate subspecies of Cheetah
but they are merely a mutation of the African Cheetah.
Habitat
Cheetahs inhabit the desert, savannah, scrub, bush and open
woodlands of Africa.
Cheetahs have a unique social structure in comparison to other
cats. Females tend to be solitary unless they have cubs but
sometimes mother/daughter pairs have been known to stay together
for a while. Generally females tend to avoid each other but they may
share home ranges that overlap.
Most male Cheetahs also live alone but some of them live in groups
of 2 - 4. These groups are known as coalitions and they last for a
lifetime. Males that live in coalitions are very territorial and they
mark their territories by urinating on logs, trees or termite mounds.
If their territory is threatened they will fiercely defend it.
The size of their home range depends on the availability of prey but
solitary males and females can have ranges as large as 800 - 1500 Km
(500 - 930 miles) where as male coalitions have smaller territories of
12 - 35 Kms (7.5 - 21.5 miles).
Diet
Cheetahs are carnivores and they mainly eat mammals that weigh
under 40 Kgs (90lbs). Their diet mainly consists of thomson's
gazelles, impala, springbok, kob, warthogs, blackbuck, lesser kudu,
guinea fowl and hares. When Cheetahs hunt together they may prey
upon wildebeest and their calves.
Cheetahs stalk their prey to within 30 m (98 ft) then they chase. If
they are not successful within 1 minute they quite often give up as
their bodies can quickly overheat. Cheetahs kill their prey by
tripping it up during the chase then biting the underside of its neck
to suffocate it.
The Cheetah then quickly consumes as much of its catch as
possible before it is taken by stronger predators, such as lions or
hyenas.
Breeding
Following a gestation period of 90 - 98 days Cheetahs give birth to 1
- 5 cubs. At birth the cubs weigh between 150 and 300 g (5 - 10 oz)
and their fur already has their characteristic spots. They also have
downy fur known as a mantle on their necks extending to their mid
back. This gives them a mane like appearance that is shed as they
grow older.
Cub mortality is high and almost 75% are killed by other predators
such as lions, hyenas, baboons and leopards. The cubs leave their
mothers after about 18 months but some siblings may remain
together for another few months, or in the case of male coalitions,
for life.
Cheetahs don't usually mate until they are around 3 years old, and
mating occurs throughout the year.
Predators
Cheetahs have no real predators, other than humans.
Subspecies
There are six subspecies of Cheetah
Interesting Facts
The Cheetah is the worlds fastest land animal and it can reach
speeds of up to 113 Km/h (70 mph) in short bursts. It can also
accelerate from 0 - 100 Km/h (approx 60 mph) in 3 seconds. See Top
10 Fastest Land Animals.
Unlike other big cats, Cheetahs cannot roar but they are very vocal.
They emit sound such as chirps, hums, purrs and yelps. The most
distinctive of these is the yelp that can carry for up to 2 Km (1.2
miles).
Cheetahs are one of only four cats that cannot retract their claws,
the others being the fishing cat , flat-headed cat and iriomote cat.
Gharial Crocodile
Latin Name
: Gavialis gangeticus
Conservation Status:
Critically Endangered
Location: Northern Indian
Subcontinent
Color:
Grey/Olive
Length: 4 - 6 m (13 - 19.7 ft)
Weight: Up to 450 Kgs (1,000
lbs)
Breeding: Oviparous
Main Characteristics
The Gharial is one of the largest crocodilian species. They are
between 4 and 6 m (13 - 19.7 ft) in length and they can weigh up to
450 kgs (1,000 lbs). They have a life expectancy in the wild of 40 - 60
years.
Gharial are large and slender with a distinctive narrow snout. The
snout shape varies depending on the age of the animal - it becomes
longer and thinner as they get older. Males have a bulbous growth,
known as a ghara, on the end of their snout and this produces
bubbles and sounds during courtship. They have extremely sharp
teeth with there being 54 - 58 on their upper jaw and 50 - 52 on their
lower jaw.
Gharial are grey/olive in color with youngsters being paler. Their tail
is laterally flattened and they have broadly webbed feet which
enables them to be extremely agile and quick when in the water.
Their legs are relatively weak and they cannot move well on land.
They tend to slide along on their belly as their legs are not strong
enough to raise their body off the ground and achieve a high-walk
gait.
Habitat
Gharial are found in the slow moving backwaters of large rivers in
the northern Indian subcontinent. They spend most of their time in
the water, only leaving it to bask in the sun or to lay eggs.
Diet
Gharials feed almost exclusively on fish although occasionally they
will feed on water birds or carrion. Young Gharials will eat insects,
larvae and small frogs.
Breeding
During the breeding season males become very territorial and they
assemble a harem of females. The breeding season is between
November and January and mating takes place in the water.
Between March and May the female will leave the river and dig a
nest in the river banks, away from the water's edge. In the nest she
will lay up to 50 eggs with each egg being approximately 150 g (5 oz)
in weight. The female will carefully cover the nest with soil and
leave the eggs to hatch.
After approximately 90 days the hatchlings will emerge. They have
to make their own way to the water as their mother doesn't carry
them there and it is thought that this is due to her jaws not being
suited to carrying young. She does however, protect them in the
water for a few days until they learn to fend for themselves.
Predators
Humans are the main predators of Gharial.
Interesting Facts
Gharial are also known as:
Gavial
Indian Gharial
Indian Gavial
Fish-eating Crocodile
Long-nosed Crocodile
The bulbous growth, known as the ghara, on the snout of male
Gharial is named after the Indian word meaning "pot".
Writing a good paragraph is like making a sandwich. You need to
make a sandwich in order, starting with the bread. In a paragraph,
you start with the main idea that is a general statement, then add
supporting details and facts, lastly end with a concluding sentence.
See the example below.
Butterflies are interesting insects. They have six
legs and three body parts. They start their lives as a
caterpillar. After they go into a cocoon they become a
beautiful butterfly. Butterflies are unique insects.
Directions: Write a paragraph describing the African Buffalo. Fill
out the sandwich first with your ideas.
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Directions: Write a paragraph describing the Cheetah. Fill out the
sandwich first with your ideas.
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Directions: Write a paragraph describing the Gharial Crocodile. Fill
out the sandwich first with your ideas.
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